According to a news statement on the university’s website, more than half of patients receiving GLP-1s had “significant gastric contents” before surgery, despite following pre-op fasting guidelines.
This could result in pulmonary aspiration, a potentially fatal disorder caused by inhaling food or fluids into the lungs.
Ozempic and wegovy could double as kidney disease treatments, a study suggests.
GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide) receptor agonists are frequently administered to people with type 2 diabetes (to stabilize blood glucose levels) or obesity (to aid weight loss).
“These medications slow digestion, so food stays in the stomach longer,” said Dr. Alfred Bonati, founder of the Bonati Spine Institute in Florida.
Dr. Brett Osborn, a board-certified neurosurgeon and section chief at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Florida, always recommends his patients who are using GLP-1 agonists to discontinue them at least one week before a surgical procedure, he said.
In addition to aspiration, Osborn warned of an increased risk of postoperative ileus, which is an intestinal malfunction that occurs after surgery.
